The All-Sufficiency of Christ. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. I

MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS of C.H.M.
Volume 1 LOIZEAUX BROTHERS Neptune, New Jersey
FIRST EDITION 1898 ELEVENTH PRINTING 1966
LOIZEAUX BROTHERS, Inc., PUBLISHERS A Nonprofit Organization, Devoted to the Lord's Work and to the Spread of His Truth 19 West 21st Street, New York 10, N. Y.
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The original numbering of these writings has been retained. Many of the above may be had separately in pamphlet form.
Oh, the blessedness! transgression forgiven—sin covered! This truly is blessedness; and without this, blessedness must be unknown. To have the full assurance that my sins are all forgiven is the only foundation of true happiness. To be happy without this is to be happy on the brink of a yawning gulf, into which I may at any moment be dashed forever. It is utterly impossible that any one can enjoy solid happiness until he is possessed of the divine assurance that all his guilt has been canceled by the blood of the cross. Uncertainty as to this must be the fruitful source of mental anguish to any soul who has ever been led to feel the burden of sin. To be in doubt as to whether my guilt was all borne by Jesus, or is yet on my conscience, is to be miserable.
Now, before proceeding to unfold the subject of forgiveness, I should like to ask my reader a very plain, pointed, personal question, namely, Dost thou believe that thou canst have the clear and settled assurance that thy sins are forgiven? I ask this question at the outset, because there are many, now-a-days, who profess to preach the gospel of Christ, and yet deny that any one can be sure that his sins are forgiven. They maintain that it is presumption for any one to believe in the forgiveness of his sins; and, on the other hand, they look upon it as a proof of humility to be always in doubt as to this most momentous point. In other words, it is presumption to believe what God says, and humility to doubt it. This seems strange in the face of such passages as the following: Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke xxiv. 46, 47); In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins , according to the riches of His grace. (Eph. i. 7; Col. i. 14.)